ESPN Is Laying Off 150 People

Today we are informing approximately 150 people at ESPN that their jobs are being eliminated.

We appreciate their contributions, and will assist them as much as possible in this difficult moment with severance, a 2017 bonus, the continuation of health benefits and outplacement services. They will also appreciate your support.

The majority of the jobs eliminated are in studio production, digital content, and technology and they generally reflect decisions to do less in certain instances and re-direct resources.

We will continue to invest in ways which will best position us to serve the modern sports fan and support the success of our business.

Further, he also reports that ESPN is timing the layoff so those employees can get an additional year of stock vesting options:

Part of the reason ESPN conducted the moves this week, two sources told SI earlier this month, is to get employees an additional year in the stock vesting program. The timing will not do ESPN any favors publicly with Christmas coming in less than a month.

In the previous round of layoffs, which included some big-name on-air personalities, ESPN handed our generous (or onerous) severance agreements that pay some folks the full remainder of their contract but restrict them from working elsewhere.

So, on one hand, you have ESPN doing right by employees it’s forced to let go, but on the other you have restrictive non-competes that aim to keep those folks away from competition. That likely won’t be the case with lower level staffers in production, however.

This is all mostly a result of cord-cutting and ESPN losing guaranteed fees from cable packages. They’ve overspent the money they thought was due to them and now they are being forced to cut the fat or, in some cases, the meat, too.

ESPN lost most people when they stopped doing highlights. That’s all people wanted. For some reason they decided that in house over-analysis for one game for 15 minutes was more important. They went with the debate format that no one wants. It doesn’t work. People want to just check in see what the teams did and check out. I don’t need 20 minutes discussing Lebron getting ejected. The streaming stuff was unavoidable. People were going to bail for cheaper services. But the sole reason people used to watch ESPN was for Sportscenter and it’s highlights. Not 6 different NFL shows, a College Football show, debate shows, and certainly not SC6.

Spot on.
Also, Creating shows for idiots like Steven A. & Skippy B. Guys who were irrelevant here & in Dallas become overpaid “talent.”
When they paid 2 billion for crappy MNF a few years ago, I knew the end was near.
Also, bring back Jim. These news guys are too serious. You’ve become just like ESPN with over blown coverage of everything. At least Jim was a train wreck worth reading and getting rid of him just as the Sixers became relevant was so cold Kyle, it even made Jah shiver.

Well that is a silly point because all religions are made up fairy tales. As a liberal American white man, I do think it is outrageous that muslims live in theocracies in this day and age. All humans should have equal rights, that is our moto in America, the muslim world simply can not adapt to our way of life.

9.8…. this subject matter is a lay up to pin the douche chill meter every time…. Kyle Scott, Media Guru/Entrepreneur/Mogul/Prognosticator/Analyst…. a basement blogger giving the world his views of the changing landscape in media and why decisions are made at major corporations…. the Mike Francesa of t-shirt making, blogger nerds

I will solve ESPN’s problems right now: more Suzy Kolber, more Randy Moss, more Dan Lebatard’s show, more outside the lines. No Jemelle Hill, no Cari Champion, no Mike Greenburg (shut the fuck up, Greenburg), no Boomer – ok that happened. Problem solved.